A Real Moment
by MiaMeadows
Summary: Stef is alone on a Friday night. Andy is out with her boyfriend but the only people Stef has to hang out with are a bunch of thirteen year old Goonies, one of whom is depressed and another who once told her she was pretty.
1. Strawberry Ice-cream

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Goonies or these characters. What of it?**

I hate my job. In fact, I hate my life. Sure, I helped to save the Goon Docks from being destroyed and I discovered pirate treasure but what have I got to show for it? At least Andy got a boyfriend out of our adventure, even if it is Brand, I didn't even get that. The most action I got all night was when I got felt up by that giant octopus. Typical.

Not that I feel like I need a man to complete me or anything, you know, girl power and all that, but that doesn't mean that I don't get a little sick of sitting in the backseat while Andy is driven around by her latest boyfriend. Although, at least I don't have to do that with Brand, _he_ doesn't have his license.

I don't know, I just wonder sometimes you know? Like, am I ever going to get a boyfriend or am I going to end up… well, you know anyway.

So I am going to finish pulling these lobsters out of the water, go home, have an hour long shower to get rid of the fish smell, dress up, and go out. Where to? I hear you ask. Well, nowhere in particular, the most exciting place to go on the Goon Docks is the milk bar, and I doubt I'll find my future husband there, but, you never know.

At home my father asks me how my day was. I lie and say it was good. My mother tells me my hair looks nice today. I smile and say thank you. In front of the mirror I stare at my face for five minutes wondering how I could possibly be single. Then I take out my makeup and go to work. In my room I throw my clothes about until I find a dress that shows enough of my legs, grab my bag and shut the front door a little too forcibly on my way out. It is five thirty in the afternoon.

At the milk bar I see Andy and Brand sharing a booth and a milkshake. I pretend not to see them and take a stool at the bar. I order a huge bowl of strawberry ice-cream with sprinkles. I don't even care. My thighs will just have to deal with it because today I am really not in the mood for broccoli.

The door opens. The bell rings. And suddenly I am surrounded by four goonies. Fantastic.

"Hey Stef!" that was Data.

"What are you all dressed up for? Got a hot date?" that was obviously Mouth.

"Can I have some of your ice-cream please Stef?" I don't suppose I need to tell you who that was.

"Get your own Chunk!" I say guarding my bowl like, well, like a bowl of strawberry ice-cream with sprinkles. You have to pay extra for the sprinkles you know?

"I don't get my allowance until tomorrow!" he whines in my ear.

"Here," I say, giving him a handful of change, "buy everyone some."

"Gee thanks Stef!" you would think I just gave them all a brand new Ferrari the way they are carrying on.

"Yeah whatever," I say. This milk bar was a terrible idea, what was I thinking?

Mikey looks depressed. I wonder whether I should care enough to ask him what's wrong. He is staring at the booth around the corner. Brand and Andy's booth. I guess that's why he's depressed. Poor Mikey. What am I saying poor Mikey? At least he got to make out with Andy! I don't see anyone trying to make out with me in dark caves!

"What's the matter Mikey?" sweet little Data says.

Mikey has his head resting on his arms and he sighs a heavy sigh before replying.

"I don't know what she sees in him, it's not as if I'm that much younger than he is."

"Oh yeah, only four years or so," says Chunk.

Honestly can't these kids sit still? They are climbing all over the place.

Mouth puts his arm around my shoulders. I really hate it when he does that.

"Yeah sure, that's nothing, why if four years was a big deal then Stef and I couldn't date," he says.

I elbow him in the stomach. There is an empty space left behind where his arm was. Honestly these guys drive me crazy. But, I love them anyway. There are some things in life that you can't go through with someone without becoming their friend. Getting chased through pirate caves by murderers is one of them.

"In your dreams Mouth!" says Chunk who, I notice, has eaten some of my ice-cream, honestly, you have to watch them every second, it's like baby-sitting a litter of puppies.

"So listen Stef, what are you doing tonight?" says Mouth cosying in next to me again.

I can't reply, what am I supposed to say? That I am single and alone and wearing my best dress out for a night at the milk bar with a bunch of kids.

"Because we're all going to Mikey's to watch Star Wars, want to come?" says Chunk who has polished off the rest of my ice-cream. God damn it. I really need to pay more attention.

They are smiling at me with those cheesy grins they all have.

"Yeah sure, whatever."

Why oh why oh why did I say that?

So now I am trotting down the street after a bunch of kids on their bicycles. This isn't exactly what I had in plan for the evening I can tell you that right now.

Mikey is peddling pretty slowly so I can almost keep up with him.

"You ok sunshine?" I say, trying to kick a pebble out of my shoe.

"Yeah fine," he says, but he looks a lot less than fine, in fact, he looks fairly disheartened.

"Don't worry stud, you'll find the right girl someday, one who likes you for you and not your brother."

That didn't quite come out right. Oh thank god, that's Mikey's gate. How do I know that? I really need to get out more.


	2. The Tiny Couch

Well, this is embarrassing. I'm squished on the couch between Mouth and Data, there are chips everywhere, in fact, I think I have chips in my hair. The movie is on. The boys are climbing all over the place, as per usual.

I can't believe that this is my life. It's Friday night and I am watching Star Wars with a bunch of kids. Ok, so they're not really kids, I mean, they're only four years younger than me, that's not really all that much when you think about it. Not that I am thinking about it. I am mainly thinking about Mouth's fingers.

Wow, that came out wrong.

What I mean is, I'm next to Mouth on the couch right? And it is pretty crowded on here because it's a couch probably only designed for about three people and there are five of us squashed on here. And Mouth's arms are at his sides. Which means his hand is right next to my thigh right? And he is tapping his fingers on his leg right? But every time he does they brush across my leg. And since this dress is fairly short and I'm sitting down it means that he is touching my bare skin. So that's what I'm thinking about. I am also thinking thank god I shaved my legs today.

You know what, I don't think my explanation made that sound any better.

Mouth is also strangely quiet, and if you know him at all that is very strange. The other boys are yelling things at the screen and making lightsaber noises but Mouth is just sitting here tapping his leg with those fingers of his. I almost say something to him, I almost tell him to stop.

But then the front door opens. In walk Brand and Andy arm in arm. Oh god. Just kill me now. This has got to be the most embarrassing moment of my life. I can feel my face going bright red. Mouth stops tapping his fingers and puts his hands in his lap. What does that mean? Was he doing it on purpose and he doesn't want to get caught? I'm concerned now.

For a moment they don't notice that I'm here. It's a very nice moment.

Then Andy sees me.

"Stef?" she says, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh I umm, we're just umm…" I can't do this, where are my words?

"We're watching Star Wars!" says Data, "want to watch it with us?"

"No thanks Data," says Brand, "we're going up to my room, hey, do us a favour will you Stef? Give us a yell or something when my parents get home?"

I nod. Mikey watches them climb the stairs. He looks like someone has just kicked him in the stomach.

The other guys start climbing on top of him.

"Come on Mikey cheer up." Says Chunk.

"You know what the punishment is if you don't!" says Mouth.

But Mikey does not smile. So they start tickling him. All three of them on the one poor, little, asthmatic Mikey. I get kicked at least twice before I decide to even out the odds. I fight on Mikey's side. It is a terrible idea. Because you see, me trying to defend Mikey just gives the other boys an invitation to tickle me. Something I certainly do not want them to do. Because, one, I am extremely ticklish and, two, because I wish I was wearing jeans or something other than this stupid dress.

I end up on the floor, in fact, most of us end up on the floor.

This has got to be the most ridiculous night of my life. No, what am I saying? I've been in more ridiculous situations than this. That time I was chased by murderers on a pirate ship is up there.

Oh great. There's Brand. He came down to get Andy a glass of water. And I'm on the floor covered in thirteen year olds. Perfect.

"God, you're so immature!" I yell, throwing them off, trying to make it out like this wasn't really my fault. But Brand has already left, I'm sure I can hear them laughing about me from his bedroom.

I sit back on the couch and Mikey starts to laugh. That makes me happy because I know Andy, and I know that she loves Brand more than anything, and I know that she'll never want to be with a kid like Mikey. He'll just have to get over her sooner or later. Now the others are laughing, even I'm laughing. Maybe they aren't quite so bad.

We are squished together on the couch again and the movie is almost over.

I realise suddenly that Mouth's arm is across my shoulders. How did this happen? More importantly when did this happen? Has his arm been there for the past half hour of this movie or did he only just put it there now? What if it's been there this whole time? I can't tell him to take it away now if I haven't said anything for the past half hour of it being there! I'm freaking out now. I don't know how to deal with this. What about the other boys? Did they notice? Have they known this whole time that Mouth's arm was around me? Have they been secretly smirking at each other? Man, this whole situation is beyond me.

I shift a little, trying to subtly shake his arm off, but all I succeed in doing is making his hand slip a little further down so that his fingers are on my collar bone. Great, that is just what I needed.

I stay still as a wall so his hand doesn't slip any further down. The movie ends. Finally. But Mouth doesn't take his arm away, instead he brushes his thumb across my neck. What the hell is he trying to do to me?

"So what's the plan now you guys?" says Data.

I am hoping it's something that involves getting off this tiny couch.

"I say that we should play," says Mouth and he pauses for dramatic effect, "murderer in the dark."

The other guys jump up straight away. Obviously they think that this is a great idea. I groan.

"Seriously? Guys how old are you?" I say.

"Come on Stef! It will be fun, besides there's nothing else for us to do," that was Chunk, he is already looking around for somewhere to hide.

"Yeah come on Stef!" that was Data.

"Do it Stef, or we'll be forced to tickle you again," that was Mouth.

"Ok ok fine, screw you guys, but I'm not being in," I say.

Five minutes later I am crouched in the cleaning supplies cupboard wondering how on earth I got into this situation.

Mouth finds me almost instantly.


	3. Creaming Soda

I can hear him shuffling down the hall. I think he is crawling; his knees are hitting the carpet. I hear his hand come in contact with the cupboard door as he slides it up to the handle.

The door opens. I can't even make out his silhouette in the darkness. He whispers into the space between us.

"Stef?"

I don't answer; instead, I try to silently squish myself further between the two shelves. I'm sure he must be able to hear my heart beating. The sound fills the cupboard. He whispers to me again.

"Stef, is that you?"

I can hear his hands as they feel their way around the room. Eventually he touches my left knee. Then both knees. Then…

"Ok, yes Mouth, it's me." I hiss, pushing his hands off my legs. All I can hear is his breath.

His hands are suddenly on the sides of my face, tracing my cheeks, running through my hair and then he is taking off my glasses. I have lost my words.

"I just wanted to make sure," he says.

"Yes, yes it's me!" I say, pushing him away with a hand on his chest.

And then he is kissing me. I don't know how it happens. One minute we're sitting together in the darkness and the next his lips are on mine. Right there, in the cleaning supplies closet, at Mikey and Brand's house, in the Goon Docks, with our friends are playing murderer in the dark, and with Andy and Brand making out in his bedroom, in the dark, together, we are kissing. And then I realise that I haven't stopped him yet. I haven't pushed him off me and slapped him in his stupid face. What am I doing? Good god I am kissing him back. I did not mean for this to happen, this was not my plan when I went out tonight.

In other news I don't think Mouth has had much experience kissing people before. He is acting all confidence but I thinking he is trying a little too hard to impress me. I decide to give him a little lesson.

Wait! What the hell am I doing? This has to stop. Where are his hands? Oh, they're on my hips, that's ok I guess. Where are my hands? Jesus they're around his neck! What am I trying to do? I need to pay more attention.

I have to stop this.

He tastes like creaming soda.

No, this has to stop, wait, what's that noise? Oh god, someone is coming, I can't be caught here like this, I can't!

The light from the hall is blinding. Chunk is standing at the open door.

"Hey guys!" Chunk shouts down the hall to the others, "He's not even looking for us, he's making out with Stef in the cupboard!"

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

I push Mouth away.

"Get off me Mouth!" I yell as I stand up. I don't think I am convincing anyone here.

Data and Mikey appear around the corner.

I can't bring myself to look at his face. I don't know what would be worse; happiness, embarrassment or hurt. I don't think I can stand any of them right now.

"Man you guys are terrible at this game. He found me first so I'm in, go and hide for god's sake," I snap as I head for the front door.

I am standing outside counting to one hundred. Then it hits me. What the hell am I doing still here? If I try to find them I will be certain to happen upon Mouth and what if he kisses me again? And what if I can't make myself stop kissing him back again? Far better plan to just leave.

So I grab my bag, put my shoes back on and walk away. What a tremendous joke. They'll be hiding for ages before they realise that I've gone. I'll just go home and pretend this whole thing didn't happen.

I am out the gate when he calls my name.

"Stef?"

I was so close.

I don't turn around. Maybe he will just go away.

Oh, nope, he is following me. Of course he is following me.

"Stef," he says again but his pleas move me on faster, I can't turn around, I can't look at his face, I don't think I can look at his face ever again.

"Stef, I'm sorry, I thought you…"

"Look just forget It Mouth!" I yell without turning around.

"Well forget you then Stef!" He yells at my back, "God you're such a stuck up snob! Why do you always have to act so damn superior like your better than us. You're not, you know? Inside you're just another Goonie!"

His words pierce into my back. He's right. I know he's right. We're not all that different Mouth and I. In fact in a lot of ways we're very similar. I stop walking, but I still can't bring myself to look at his face. I'm cold. It's starting to rain. Screw this. I'm going to catch a cold in this stupid dress.

I start to walk again. I am going straight home. I am going to put on my jeans and a jumper. I am going to climb into bed and read a book. Somehow I manage to look back before I turn the corner but Mouth is gone.

When I get home I throw my dress in the bin.

At nine thirty my phone rings.

"Stef?"

It's Andy.

"Hey Andy."

"What happened to you Stef? You were supposed to warn us when Brand's parents got home!"

"Oh sorry Andy, I completely forgot, I came home."

"Yeah, well Brand's mum walked in on us!"

"Oh my god! Doing what?"

"Strictly PG"

"I'm sure, where are you now?"

"I had to come home, god Stef it was so embarrassing!"

"Are the other guys still there?"

"Mouth disappeared ages ago, about the same time you did according to the boys and the others are still there I guess."

"What else did they tell you about Mouth?"

"Oh, nothing much, just that they caught you making out with him in the cupboard,"

Shit.

"Look Andy it's not what it sounds like."

"Really?"

"Ok, well, it kind of is, but I can explain."

"I'm sure you can."

"Look, we were playing murderer in the dark and I was in this cupboard see…"

"Murderer in the dark? Really?"

"Oh never mind, I don't have to tell you anything!"

"No, I'm sorry, tell me, how was he? Did he live up to his nickname?"

"Well, to start with he was kind of rubbish, but he got the hang of it by the end."

"Man, how long did this last?"

"Umm, you know, to be honest, I kind of lost track of time, actually, I kind of lost track of everything."

"Oh dear, sounds like you're in love Stef."

"Don't be ridiculous! I am definitely not in love with Mouth!"

"Oh yes you are!"

"Yeah right, as if."

I almost hang up on her.

"I'm just passing a judgement based on the facts."

I do hang up on her.


	4. Cuffed Jeans

It is Saturday morning. 6am. Why am I awake? I'll tell you why. Because I have been awake all night. Yep. That happened.

See, I hung up on Andy and then I spent the rest of the night staring at my phone waiting for it to ring again. It didn't.

And now I am lying in bed feeling like shit and wondering whether I should bother getting up… ever again.

But I do. I pull myself out of bed by my pyjama collar and throw myself into the shower with unnecessary force. Breakfast is waffles, screw it. Clothes are jeans and a t-shirt. Makeup is underdone, who cares.

I walk into town and buy a magazine. I throw it out five minutes later.

It's quiet out. Everyone is still in bed at seven on a Saturday morning. Except for poor lonely soles like me destined to pass their lives on this earth alone and depressed.

Ok, fine, I'm feeling sorry for myself. Is that any big deal? I mean really after the night I had.

I stop.

Mouth is walking along the sand, his shoes in his hand and his jeans rolled up. When did I get to the beach? I don't recall walking down here at all. But here I am, and what? My shoes are in my hand and my jeans are cuffed just like Mouth's.

He hasn't noticed me. I wonder if he couldn't sleep either. Maybe he lay awake thinking about me just like I…wait a minute. Now don't you start projecting on me. Don't presume to think that I spent the whole night thinking about Mouth, thinking about his fingers tapping his leg and his hands on my face and his lips… Nope. Not at all. In fact, I spent most of my time thinking about, well thinking about, shoes for one thing and chocolate crackles and willow trees and oh fine, yes alright I was thinking about Mouth and kissing him in the cleaning supplies closet.

Mouth is turning around. I seem to be following him. I didn't realise I was but I guess I am.

I can't read his expression but somehow I feel like it is similar to mine. He has a funny crooked half=-smile on his face. Half-smile and half-scowl.

Which one of us should speak first? I don't think either of us would ever be the type to apologise. We are almost face to face now. Neither of us have spoken yet. It's getting to be a bit awkward. What is wrong with Mouth these days? He needs a new nickname.

Silence.

And then something rather remarkable happens.

He kicks a big hunk of water at me. There's water on my jeans, there's water in my hair, there's water droplets on my glasses.

Mouth looks up at me with the most mischievous grin. So I turn around to leave. I make it out like I'm annoyed, like I'm pissed off. But just at the last minute I spin around and kick the biggest bucket load of water straight into his smug face. He blinks seven times. Then he pushes me, I assume with the intention of making me fall into the water. Unfortunately for him it doesn't work and as he tries to laugh it off I hit him with a body slam that knocks us both under the waves.

We emerge coughing and spluttering. I'm sure we look fabulous.

I suddenly have an overpowering urge to push Mouth's hair out of his eyes. It's strange; I don't know how to explain it to you. But I feel as though my fingers will feel empty forever unless I fill them with Mouth's hair right now.

"Stef," he says and, wonderfully, he brushed the hair from my face. So I kiss him. I don't even care what you think, I kiss him. I kiss him right there in the water and we're shivering because it's freezing but that doesn't stop us. At least not for a few minutes until I have to stop and sneeze. Then Mouth takes my hand.

"Perhaps we better dry off?" he says and I nod, my teeth are chattering too much to speak properly.

We go to Mikey's house because it's the closest and we're too freezing to go anywhere else. We stand at the door shivering. Mikey's mother answers. I'm sure I have pneumonia.

"Oh my goodness, what on earth happened to you?" she says.

"It's a long story," I say, "could we come in and dry off please?"

"Of course, I'll get you some towels," she says, ushering us in the door, "the other boys are all still asleep in Mikey's room."

We get to the bathroom and she hands us two towels.

"I'm sorry I have to leave you, we're going into town, but you guys have a shower and help yourself to a warm drink ok?"

She leaves us and we're left looking at each other awkwardly.

"So, since were' both freezing we could, you know, save time and…"

"Get real Mouth," I say, shutting the door in his disappointed face.

I hang all my wet clothes along the towel rail and they start to drip into a little puddle on the floor. I realise suddenly that I have nothing else to put on. I panic for a moment before I just deal with it and wear my towel out the door.

Mouth's face is adorable, I must admit, and he looks so cold the poor dear.

Once he's in the bathroom I pick up the phone and call Andy.

"Andy, yeah it's Stef, listen could you do me a favour and go over to my house and pick some clothes for me and bring them to Mikey's house? Yeah, anything except that red dress I was wearing last night. Thanks Andy you're the best."

I hang up and Mouth walks into the living room with the towel around his waist. He sits beside me on the couch and I try to think of something witty to say.

Luckily for me I don't have to because who should walk in but a bleary eyed Brand and three sleepy-looking Goonies.

"Listen guys, this isn't what it looks like," I say.


	5. A Green Bicycle

They all simultaneously fold their arms.

"Oh really?" says Chunk.

"Yes, really," I say. Mouth isn't helping at all he is just sitting here.

"We just had showers because we were at the beach and…"

Brand cuts me off, "What were you two doing at the beach?" he says.

"Well we, I mean I was just walking and Mouth kicked water at me and well…"

Thank God, Andy is here with my clothes so I don't have to keep talking. I jump off the couch so fast my towel nearly falls off. Nearly.

"Hey guys," Andy says, all cheery and bright.

I snatch the bundle from her arms and run into the bathroom yelling, "thanks" as I slam the door. I have been doing a lot of that lately.

When I emerg,e in my dry leggings and knitted jersey, Brand and Andy are in the kitchen boiling eggs and the rest of the guys are in the living room where Mouth is wearing, what I can only assume are, a pair of Mikey's jeans.

I choose the kitchen.

I sit at the bench and cover my face with my hands.

"Hard day?" Andy asks.

"You have no idea," I say shaking my head.

Brand laughs, "seems to me like you're been doing alright," he says, all smirks.

I rest my forehead on the bench.

"You would think that Brand," I say, into my sleeves, "but you would be astronomically wrong."

"Maybe," he says, in an infuriating way, in an I-know-I'm-right-way.

I look over my shoulder at the living room floor. Mouth is there, he catches me looking at him and he smiles. Damn it. I think my heart is beating faster now.

Oh god, he is standing up. He is walking towards me. I look to Andy and she's gone! Where have Brand and Andy gone? They were here a second ago. Oh no. Mouth is sitting on the stool beside me.

"Listen Stef," he says, and he is so serious it is quite endearing, "I just want to get one thing straight right now."

"What?" I say, I think I laid it on a bit thick with the indifference there.

"Do you or do you not want to be my girlfriend?"

Oh man. He just came right out and said it. Just like that. In black and white. With no embellishment.

I try really hard to refuse, I honestly do.

"I guess it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world," I say and he lunges at me so fast he nearly knocks me off the stool. And he is hugging me now. And it's nice. And he's still not wearing a shirt which is also nice.

There is a lot of wolf whistling coming from all around us. I don't even care that everyone is watching, I kiss his stupid face, right there in Mikey's kitchen. He is really starting to get the hang of it now by the way.

Eventually everyone finds something better to look at, especially Mikey, who is staring out the window and a pretty girl with red hair and a green bicycle. So I guess, there is still hope, the lonely and depressed don't always stay that way.

I should know.


End file.
